
Movies entering the Public Domain in 2021
Some of the greatest films in cinematic history officially entered the Public Domain on January 1, 2021.
This is thanks to the Copyright Term Extension Act which states that most copyright works of art and literature enter the public domain 96 years after the year of their publication. The copyright status of some of these films has been in dispute, but the change in the calendar removes any ambiguity — at least in the United States.
Here are the movies I’m most excited about.

COMEDIES

When The Tramp goes to Alaska to take part in the Gold Rush, he encounters relentless hardship. He battles hunger, loneliness, and a starving man named “Big Jim.”
Chaplin’s “potato dance” scene is one of the high points of comedy history.
The Gold Rush was Chaplin’s favorite of all his films. It was also a box office hit. It made $5 million in its first release, making it the 7th-highest-grossing movie of all time in 1925. But in 2021, you can see it legally without paying a dime.


The Freshman is one of Lloyd’s most famous films. He plays a young man who goes to college with plans to become the big man on campus. He gives himself the nickname “Speedy” and tries out for the football team. But the older, more popular students aren’t exactly welcoming to the tryhard newcomer.
The Freshman was a massive hit. It sold nearly 20 million tickets and was #4 on the list of the top-grossing movies of all time by the end of the year.

HORROR


ADVENTURE


DRAMAS


STRIKE (STACHKA)
Eisenstein’s practice of cross-cutting is best displayed near the end of the film. As soldiers violently put down the strike, the film cuts to footage of cattle being slaughtered. The cattle aren’t at all related to the film’s story. Eisenstein uses them as a metaphor in an example of “Montage editing.” This form of editing had been developed by Soviet directors familiar with American D.W. Griffith’s Intolerance, which intercuts four parallel stories to emphasize common themes.
I'm also the proud father of two children.
Contact me: adamcallroberts@gmail.com
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Excellent list, Adam! Let's hope Ben-Hur and The Big Parade get un-blocked someday. Copyright laws are getting more ridiculous every day...